


Inexorably Drawn

by hoboshorts



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Infant Death, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 22:36:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29875056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoboshorts/pseuds/hoboshorts
Summary: "He tirelessly serves his foreign Master, whose son at least he adores, despite their opposing manner and outlook. Thanatos would never speak of this, but it is clear, to me. Whence came the bond they share? My thought is that the Master's son must be the god of blood; of life. Thus, they are inexorably drawn."The odyssey of Zagreus, God of Life, and how each step in his journey inexorably brought him back to Thanatos, God of Death.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Hades Video Game), Nyx & Persephone (Hades Video Game), Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	Inexorably Drawn

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a semi canon-compliant journey through the game. I am not an expert on Greek mythology and the game itself takes a lot of liberties (while also making some jokes about said liberties) so just fair warning it won't be perfect. I am also a fan of the Underworld's power throuple (MegThanZag) but this is going to be a chiefly ThanZag work.
> 
> Also guys, it's 2021, I'm a tired sad adult with no money. I'm doing this for fun. I quit my other long fic due to people being assholes. Don't be an asshole.

=-=-=-=

_‘Each new life, no matter how brief, forever changes the world.’_

=-=-=-=

“How does the day find you, my Queen?”

Persephone pauses in her gathering of ripened pomegranates from the shadow lit trees to regard her company with a warm smile. “It would find me much better were you to dispense with the titles, my friend,” she replies laughingly, setting the basket down and carefully navigating to the stone bench to sit. A fair hand reaches out to help steady her as the queen of the underworld sits heavily down, a hand protective over her protruding belly. “Nyx, I am fine. Honestly. You fuss over me far too much. You already have enough children to tend to, without adding me to your worries.”

Nyx smiles, soft and muted like evening, as she sits beside Persephone. She watches the edge of the garden where her youngest children are at play. Or rather, one lays sleeping in a flowerbed under the pretense of participating in a game of hide and seek, while the other looks absolutely frustrated with said sibling’s lack of motivation to play. Charon is watching his younger siblings from the side of his boat. Nyx meets Charon’s hazy purple gaze, giving a nod of regard to her elder child and receiving a tip of a long-brimmed hat in return.

“True, but unlike yourself, this is not my first chariot race, as they say on the surface…” Nyx reasons, rubbing Persephone’s lower back where she knows the woman must be aching most. The queen groans in relief, sagging against her fellow goddess in companionable gratitude. “And while I conceived many of my children alone, I cannot rightfully say I tended to their needs by myself. The elders watch the youngers, sometimes. And your husband too, has helped given them employment and purpose, a place within this House.”

“So, what you’re saying is I’m cutting off my nose to spite my face and ought not spurn away such experienced help as yourself…” Persephone notes with an amused expression. “Honestly, Nyx… how many children do you have now?”

“Hm. Let’s see… there’s the Fated triplets, Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos… Charon, naturally, oh, the two eldest, Gēras and dear Hemera, and of course I cannot forget my first set of twins, Oizys and Momus—”

“By the gods, forget I asked!” Persephone laughs, while Nyx smirks away, “With your amount of progeny you could give Zeus a run for his money, Nyx.”

“I feel as though I should be insulted. I do not consort with mortals in underhanded manners, for one thing…” Nyx replies with a chuckle. “But tell me, what do we know of the child of Hades?”

Persephone groans, leaning back on the bench. “That they are as troublesome as their father? The way they kick, Nyx! Is it natural for it to be so fierce? It as if their feet are fire, scalding my very insides with all that thumping about!” she complains, rubbing her belly. There is a glimmer of mirth in her gemstone green eyes nevertheless, her voice softening to a sweetness unmatched by the fruits she was tending in the garden. “I love them, Nyx, so very much. My dear child. I cannot wait to meet them.”

Nyx must look away from the scene of her friend’s happiness. She wishes to be delighted for Persephone, truly. But Atropos’ whispered warning rang in her mind. Persephone was like the small life within her— the very picture of brash defiance. But the Fates, Nyx’s all-seeing daughters, were not so easily defied. No matter how noble and good the cause.

“Mother!”

A bell tolls suddenly, jolting both women to attention, and with a flash of green light the child who had played at the garden’s edge appears before them, hovering a few feet off the ground. His skin is as fair as Nyx’s, with eyes of fierce gold, and platinum hair that went to his waist. He’s sniffling and rubbing away his tears with urgency.

“Thanatos? Whatever is the matter, my butterfly?” Nyx asks, bringing the young boy out of mid-air to sit upon her lap.

“Hypnos isn’t playing fairly! I found him, so it’s my turn to hide and his turn to seek, and he says he wants another turn hiding, but he’s already had five and all he’s done is doze off in the flowerbeds and not even try to hide anywhere differently!” Thanatos says in an upset rush of words, giving a big sniff.

“I did so hide differently!” Hypnos calls out, “I rolled all the way over to the other side of the garden!”

“That was only a foot away! And it doesn’t matter because you still haven’t let me take my turn hiding!” Thanatos hisses at his twin, hands fisted in frustration.

Hypnos yawns and stretches, sitting up amidst the flowers. “But that’s just because you’re so _good_ at seeking, Thanatos! I just wanted you to keep doing what you’re good at, while I keep doing what I’m good at…” he reasons, brushing petals out of his wooly white hair.

“Mother, you see?” Thanatos says, exasperated. Persephone raises both brows high at the display while Nyx hushes her son, brushing his long hair with her fingers.

“Thanatos, my child, you must have patience with your brother. We can not control others, much as we want to, and if Hypnos does not want to play, neither of us can force him to…” Nyx reasons.

“Ha!” Hypnos mocks from the flowerbed only to get lightly thumped on the head by Charon’s paddle in rebuke. “Ow!”

Thanatos has a serious look on his young face as he considers his mother’s words of guidance at length, Nyx soothingly plaiting his long hair.

“But I want to _play_ , Mother. _And_ I want my turn…” Thanatos insists, voice softening when he adds, “…and I want someone to seek me out, for once, instead of the other way around.”

“What about your friend, the Erinyes? Megaera?” Persephone interjects curiously.

“Alecto convinced her that boys were dumb and gross…” Than grumbles, glancing at Persephone and looking a little cowed, realizing he’d flown right into the middle of their conversation and interrupted it with his troubles. “…sorry, Mrs. Queen Persephone…”

“You don’t need to apologize for having strong feelings, Thanatos. We all have them from time to time…” Persephone says, smiling. She rubs her belly in thought for a moment. “Hmm… Thanatos, if you can wait a while longer, I think I might have the solution to your problem…”

“Really?” Thanatos perks up in interest at the same time Nyx shoots Persephone a quizzical look.

“Here, give me your hand,” Persephone insists, taking Thanatos’s hand and placing it on her stomach. “Now just wait, just a moment…”

Thanatos’s brow knits in confusion, looking up at the queen. “But I don’t— oh!” Thanatos jumps in surprise when suddenly something moves under his palm with force. “Is that… is that the baby?”

“Yes,” Persephone says, winking over at Nyx, “Not yet born and already moving about rapidly like Hermes… don’t you think they’ll make an agreeable companion to play with, Thanatos? Far livelier than your brother Hypnos…” she adds with a soft touch of mischief to her tone.

A small smile forms on Thanatos’s oft downturned and dour lips. “Yes, I think so too, Mrs. Queen Persephone…”

“Then it’s agreed, wouldn’t you say, Nyx?” Persephone reasons, drawing Thanatos near so he can rest his cheek to her belly, listening intently for more signs of liveliness there. “Thanatos will have his friend and I will have someone to watch after my child. Particularly someone with good manners and a good head on his shoulders, hm?”

Thanatos has long forgotten his earlier tears, beaming from ear to ear up at the queen at all the praise. “Please, Mother?” he says to Nyx, aware at his young age of how binding even the simplest promises are amongst the gods and goddesses. “I promise I’ll always look out for them.”

Nyx looks at her son’s earnest gold eyes and sighs softly. Even with the sword of the Moirai’s prediction hanging over their heads—she could not deny Thanatos this wish. He had always been an obedient and thoughtful child; and powerful as well. The promise of his protection was not without weight.

“As you wish, child,” Nyx says, smile returning at the boy’s whoop of delight and Persephone’s laughter. The promise was so bittersweet with what was foretold, but perhaps this was not something Thanatos’s sisters had foreseen.

“Wonderful! Then Thanatos, lean in close, I want to tell you a secret not even your mother or Lord Hades yet know…” Persephone urges, grinning as even Hypnos and Charon straighten up a little as though wanting to know what secret information their brother was being given.

“The baby’s name is Zagreus,” the Queen whispers to Thanatos. “Meaning the one who hunts. Who seeks. So long as you keep your promise, Thanatos, you will always have a companion who will seek you out, no matter what.”

Thanatos nods his understanding, cheek pressed to Persephone’s belly as she absentmindedly decorates his plaited hair with pom blossoms and speaks more with his mother.

“See you soon, Zagreus,” Thanatos whispers, smiling when he hears an earnest thumping in return.

=-=-=-=

Persephone’s cry of despair echoes all the way through the Underworld, to even the highest echelons of Elysium, the night Zagreus arrives.

The babe took but one watery, blood choked breath, before expiring. His feet were blackened, skin ashen.

It is hours before Persephone lets her stillborn child go to be prepared for burial rites. The queen of the underworld remains behind, laying wordlessly in the bloodied linens, with her husband standing powerlessly by her bedside.

=-=-=-=

Thanatos perches on a marble arch, watching as his elder brother Charon places an obol on the babe’s lips as a sign of respect. Others have processed in and out of the funeral chamber throughout the day and have not taken notice of Thanatos, but Charon looks right up towards the ceiling to catch sight of him. To his credit, he alerts none to Than’s presence, taking his leave.

When the procession of shades and chthonic beings ceases, Thanatos hovers down from the ceiling to where the infant is laid upon the slab. The stillness of the body does not frighten him, for Death has become familiar to Thanatos. He hears bells toll in his mind, sometimes, and soon after Charon will be ferrying a soul down the Styx. They are always so ready and calm, these souls. Nyx tells Thanatos he is unlike his siblings, the Keres, for they wickedly delight in carrying off those who die violently. Nyx tells Thanatos he is the bringer of peaceful Death, the kind of Death that makes life worth living to the fullest.

It is a heavy burden for a young god to carry, but Thanatos has always been a quick study. Still his frustration is clear as he sits beside Zagreus’ silent form on the stone.

“I didn’t hear it. Your bell. It didn’t toll…” Thanatos says with frustration even as his fingers brush Zagreus’ forehead gently. The infant’s skin was soft but cold to the touch. “You went peacefully. And yet I didn’t hear it happen.”

There’s no response, naturally. Thanatos lays beside Zagreus, resting his palm on the dead prince’s chest. “I was supposed to watch out for you. I promised…” Than says, tears swelling up and landing on the babe’s cheek as he curls protectively around the smaller figure. “But I wasn’t there. I’m sorry, Zagreus. I’m so sorry…”

Thanatos weeps over Zagreus until his eyes are too heavy and swollen to resist closing.

=-=-=-=

Nyx is unsure if she has done the right thing. She is the daughter of Chaos and the mother of the Fates, so in a way, uncertainty is something she is used to. She knew, however, that Persephone could not stay after losing Zagreus. Nyx felt guilt over the loss even though she is certain there was nothing she could do to prevent it. It had been decreed that Hades would never have an heir. Zagreus’ death was the natural consequence of Persephone and Hades’s choice to attempt to defy the Fates.

The goddess continues down the hall with the Queen’s formal attire folded in her arms, crown set atop the dark garment. Nyx gives pause, however, seeing something out of the corner of her eye. A soft glow like candlelight, coming from the burial chamber where Zagreus’ body rests.

Nyx walks in and the shock of what she witnesses causes her to drop what she has in her arms with a clatter.

A sleeping Thanatos holds Zagreus’ body tightly to him while a viridian light shields the huddled form of the young godlings from the others gathered in the chamber.

Nyx’s daughters, the Fates, all stare at her with their one shared eye as they stand around the funeral slab. A string is held taut between Lachesis’ tremoring hands, while Atropos runs her fingers over her shears as if to test their sharpness. Clotho is not as unsettled as her siblings; she merely smiles and continues to spin thread as if nothing odd at all was happening.

And to Nyx, the sight of her daughters was not so startling at a moment of significance such as the death of the son of Hades. No, what caused her to drop the items in her arms was not seeing the Fates all assembled before her…

…it was the soft flicker of flame from Zagreus’s small toes where they brushed against Thanatos’s robe.


End file.
